Major changes to Ministry in pipeline

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The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture is set to undergo some major changes, the Sunday Samoan has been told.

In yet another change affecting portfolios, the Ministry is splitting into two separate ministries.

The Ministry of Education will operate alone while Sports and Culture will form a separate ministry, a source said.

The change was announced to staff members at M.E.S.C. headquarters, Malifa on Friday.

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Attempts to obtain a comment from the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, Loau Keneti Sio, were unsuccessful. The Sunday Samoan was told that he is in American Samoa.

It was also not possible to get a comment from the Chief Executive Officer, Afamasga Dr. Karoline Fuata’i.

But a staff member who preferred not to be named told the Sunday Samoan the split came as a surprise on Friday.

As staff members contemplate the future and speculate over the reasons for the change, the source suggested that one of the reasons for the split is the recognition that a ministry is needed to focus on Education alone.

This would also mean that Sports and Culture would receive the separate attention needed as areas with increased potential for growth and development.

The source said other entities such as the Museum of Samoa, the Archives and the national orchestra of Samoa, which are currently listed under Culture, would probably move with the new ministry overseeing Sports and Culture.